Improvement in the means for utilizing wave-power for the propulsion of vessels



. P.-S.IDEVLAN.

M'esnsfnr Utilizing wave-Rnwe r -fur the Propulsion of Vessels.

No.154,324. l P' 1 tented'Aug .2 5,1874- 1 Wit esse A Invent or:

' UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE,

PATRICK SARSFIELD DEVLAIT', OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MEANS FOR UTILIZING WAVE-POWER ,FOR TIIE PROPULSION0F VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,324, dated August25, 1874; application filed July 22,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK SARSFIELD DEVLAN, of Newark, in the countyof Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus forUtilizing the Power of the Waves for thePropulsion of Vessels, and for other purposes, of which the following isa specification:

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure'l represents a sectional plan or top view. Fig. 2 is a'longitudinal vertical section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in combining, with a sea-going vessel, a seriesof floats, which are properly distributed over the vessel, and whichconnect with the plungers of air-pumps intended to compress the air in asuitable receiver situated in the interior of the vessel in such amanner that, by the action of the waves, as the same strike the sides ofthe vessel, combined with the rolling and pitching motions of the vesselitself, one or more of said floats are raised, wh'le others arepermitted to sink down, and by these motions of the floats the air-pumpsare kept'in motion, and a constant supply of compressed air is forcedinto the receiver, and the air thus accumulated can-be used either forthe purpose of driving an air-engine, or as an auxiliary in drivingasteam-engine, which may be used for propelling the vessel or for otherpurposes.

In the drawing, the letter A designates a vessel which is provided witha number of wells, B, which are distributed over'the vessel, so that oneor more of them are near each side, and one or more of them near eachend of the vessel. These wells extend clear down through the vessel,being open at top and bottom, and theyare either circular in theircrosssection, or they may be square or of any suitable form or shape. Ineach of said wells is situated a float, O, which corresponds in shape tothe shape of the well, and is free to move up or down in the'same.

In order to reduce the friction of the floats in their wells, said wellsmay be lined with sheet metal, and the floats may be furnished withanti-friction rollers in their sides. The floats are constructed,.bypreference, of hollow air-tight boxes or cylinders, and they may be madeof sheet metal, or any other material suitable for this purpose.

Each of said floats connects with an airpump, D, situated in theinterior of the vessel, and the buoyancy and weight of the floats are soregulated that whenever the water forces one of the floats upward in itswell the plunger of the corresponding air-pump is moved in onedirection, and when the water in the well recedes, the weight of thefloat carries said plunger in the opposite direction.

The connection between the floats and their air pumps may be effected bymeans of a working-beam, as shown in the drawing, or the air-pumps maybe placed in line with the wells, and in this case the connectionbetween the floats and the air-pumps can be direct.

The air-pumps D connect by pipes E, Fig. 1, with a receiver, F, so that,by the action of said air-pumps, the receiver is charged with compressedair.

It is obvious that the pipes E have to be furnished with check-valves toprevent the compressed air from recedingout of the receiver. From thereceiver the compressed air is conducted to a cylinder, which isconstructed similar to the cylinder of an ordinary steamengine, and thepiston of which may be connected to a propeller, which serves to'propelthe vessel; or said piston may be connected to a pump, or to any othermachine to which motion is to be imparted.

The principal object of this apparatus however is to provide the meansfor propelling the vessel, or to assist in propelling the vessel, incase the quantity of compressed air obtained by the action of the floatsand of their air-pumps should not be suflicient to effect the propulsionunaided by any other power.

The compressed air may be used in connection with an ordinarysteam-engine.

It will be readily seen from this-description, that one or more of thefloatsO will always be in motion as soon as the vessel begins to roll orto pitch, and consequently the supply of compressed air will beconstantlykept up, so that when the vessel is once in the open sea itspropulsion can be effected chiefly by the action of the compressed air,and almost, if not entirely, unaided by steam.

It must be remarked that the wells B, ina suitable receiver,substantially in the man stead of passing down through the vessel, nerherein shown and described.

might be arranged on the sides of the same In testimony that I claim theforegoing I without changing the result. have hereunto set my hand andseal this 17th What I claim as new, and desire to secure day of July,1874. by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a sea-going vessel, of a series of floats,properly distributed over Witnesses: the Vessel, and which connect withthe plun- A. F. BRITTON, gers of air-pumps intended to compress air inJOHN C. J AGOBSOHN,

P. s. DEVLAN. L. s]

